(This year, as part of seeking Wonder in 2021, I will be reading and blogging about a related book each season. Join me as I deepen my understanding of Wonder through books!)
Mere moments after settling on my Word for 2021, I began to brainstorm ways I could embrace this theme in the coming year. Of course, my mind immediately leapt to books, and my first thought was of a book-based study I did years ago with my church in California. I recalled little from the study, but the memorable title had stuck with me, and I was eager to return to this book to set myself up for success with seeking wonder this year.
Like me—like most of us—Margaret Feinberg found herself going through the motions. Though she had placed her hope for eternity in Jesus, she had grown blind to His presence in her everyday life. “Icy religion replaced the delightful warmth of being a child of God,” her worship lacked enthusiasm, and she no longer waited on God with hopeful expectation. God’s splendor seemed to have lost its luster, and once-fervent awe was replaced with indifference.
Also like me, Margaret began praying for wonder. And God, in His infinite goodness and kindness, did not disappoint. Margaret’s wonder was rekindled as God’s Word took on new life, His works regained their shimmer, and her own hope flourished. In Wonderstruck, Margaret reminds us that we were created and designed to experience wonder, and she outlines a path towards an awakening to God’s presence and divine handiwork.
I wish that I could download this entire book to my brain! Through impeccable storytelling, refreshing enthusiasm, and insight informed by Scripture and experience, Margaret points her readers to the wonder all around us in a book that itself echoes the wonder of creativity and anointed teaching. I soaked in every word, delighting in Margaret’s vivid metaphors and thoughtful wordplay and jotting down endless notes to keep in mind as I pursue divine encounters with wonder this year.
Margaret’s strategies are simple yet profound, illuminating ten key areas where we can awaken to God’s wonder. Some of these are obvious, such as the wonders of God’s presence, of creation, and of prayer. Others are less apparent, such as the wonder friendship, of forgiveness, and of rest. Margaret is clear on how much “wonder-seeking” remains in God’s hands, while pointing us to actionable steps we can take in awakening to the wonder of God all around us.
Wonderstruck ends with a challenge to experience God more through 30 Days of Wonder, and adopting the principles outlined in the challenge truly has brought the abstract concept of wonder into the ordinariness of my everyday. The invitations to silence, to stillness, and to dream have been especially powerful in refocusing my attentions and allowing myself to be captured by the wonder of God’s presence.
I’m only a few weeks into this year of seeking Wonder, and am amazed—wonderstruck—at how God is already meeting me in my quest this year. God is captivating me with His handiwork and, more so, with Himself. If you are looking to be awakened to this divine nearness, this book is an excellent way to begin.
My Book Rating: 5 Stars!
